The (Not So) Mental Case
by ThatOneWritter
Summary: Cartman checked himself into a mental hospital. Butters and Kenny go to find out why. One-Shot. Buttman.


The school bell rings at South Park High School, all the students rush to their classes. Kyle, Stan, Kenny, and Butters all take their seat for math class, all four sets of eyes land on the empty seat in the middle of the room. "Where's Cartman? This is the forth time this week he's skipped school." Stan spoke up, his eyes moving from the empty seat to his super best friend who scoffed as he met his gaze.

"Who cares? Life's better with-out him." Kyle said as he faced forward, pulling his school supplies out for the class.

"Well gees, I sure hope Eric's okay." Butters piped in, bumping his knuckles together as he worried about his best friend. Eric hasn't been in school all week and no one knew why. Butters tried calling and texting the brunette, but he didn't get a text back or went straight to voice mail. He was starting to get worried, even if this was apart of something that Eric was planning, the brunette would have let the blonde know or have even gotten him to help. But he hadn't heard a word. "Will one of you fellas come with me after school to go to Eric's house? Just to see if he's okay."

"Can't, I made plans with Wendy and I can't bail on her or she'll cock block me for a month." Stan said as he wrote down the notes on the bored.

"Kyle?"

"Not even if I wanted to. Who cares where fat-ass is? Life's been so great with-out him here." Kyle didn't even look at Butters while he spoke, the blonde frowned at him. How can someone who claims to be Eric's friend not care about him? What if he was dead in a ditch somewhere?! The very thought made Butters sick to his stomach.

"Kenny?"

Sighing, the other blonde nodded his head. "Fine, I'll go to Cartman's with you. But, Butters, I'm sure he's fine." Kenny reassured him as he leaned back in his chair, not caring about what was going on in the class.

"Thanks Kenny." With that, Butters went to work on his own math and the day couldn't end soon enough. The day seemed to drag on and Butters nearly ripped Kenny's arm off dragging him with him to Eric's house when the final bell of the day went off.

When they got there, Butters knocked on the door and a few moments later Cartmans mother answered. "Oh, hello boys."

"Hello , is Eric here?" Butters asked as sweetly as he could.

She frowned slightly at them, "I'm sorry boys, but Eric hasn't been home in a week. He's checked himself into a mental hospital."

Butters jaw hit the floor when he heard this. Eric? In a mental hospital? "Why?"

"I'm not sure, all he said was that he needed to be away from someone." then got a sad look on her face, tears pooling in her eyes. "I miss him so much."

"Where is he? Maybe we can convince him to come back." Kenny said, he knew that maybe Cartman should be in a mental hospital for all the obvious reasons, but if he was there on his own accord, then it was probably for a stupid reason.

"The one on top of the hill. Please bring him home boys, it's just not the same with-out my poopsikins." Butters and Kenny nodded before taking off for the mental hospital.

When they got there, they could here people screaming and crying or laughing. Hospitals of any kind freaked Butters out, but for Eric, he would do anything. Walking up to the front desk, Butters put on his most polite smile. "Hello there, we would like to visit someone here."

"Name of patient." The nurse asked almost dismissively.

"Eric Cartman."

She looked on the computer, typing in the name "Oh yes, should be in his room right now. Room number is 208. Do either of you have any sharp objects, belts, earrings, jewelry, cell phones, or are apart of and I quote 'A filthy minority group.'?" The nurse asked, pulling out a basket for their things. Both Butters and Kenny emptied their pockets and removed their belts.

"No we aren't apart of any minority groups." Butters answered.

"Then you may see the patient." The nurse said, turning away to lead them to the room. "Follow me."

"This is it! Oh hamburgers, uh, miss where's the bathroom?" Butters asked rubbing his knuckles together.

"Right down there." She pointed and Butters nodded. She then turned to Kenny with they reached Cartmans room. "Okay, you and your little from can stay for about half an hour, it's almost dinner time and we need to keep these guys on a schedule. If anything goes wrong, there is a nurses button on the wall." Kenny nodded his thanks and gave her a tight smile. She unlocked the door for him before walking away.

When Kenny entered the room, which were a combination of blues and greens. The bed was neatly made and nothing looked like it was out of place. Except for Cartman, who was painting. Kenny raised an eyebrow at this. What the fuck? "Hey man."

Cartman turned to him and gave a small smile, "Hello Kenny, what brings you here?" He asked rather calmly.

Kenny sighed, "Cartman, what the fuck? Why are you here?" Kenny folded his hands over his chest.

"I need help, Kenny."

"I know that, but why do YOU think that?"

Cartman put his paint brush down and walked over to Kenny. "I have found out something about myself, something that can't be right. It involves the other blonde that we know." Cartman spoke in such a calm voice, it freaked Kenny out.

"Other blonde? You mean But-"

"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!" Cartman roared, his face flushing from anger. "HE'S THE REASON I'M IN HERE! WHY I'M NOT RIGHT IN THE HEAD!"

Kenny was so confused for the longest moment, until it hit him. Cartman was in love. He was in love with Butters and thought he was mentally ill. Kenny rolled his eyes, only Cartman would think there was something wrong with him when the day came that he fell in love. "You love him."

"Shut up."

"Cartman loves Butters! Cartman loves Butters!" Kenny chanted as he sang the words and danced around the room.

"SHUT UP KENNY!"Cartman wailed, he chased after Kenny until he grabbed him from behind and clamped his hand over the others mouth silencing him. "Shhh, don't say things like that Kenny, or I'll snap your neck where you stand."

"Eric?" Butters questioned, his eyes going wide when he saw Eric holding Kenny.

"Ah! You! Stay away from me!" Cartman yelled, letting go of Kenny and trying to put as much space between him and Butters as he could in his small room. "You can't be here!"

"But Eric, I'm worried about you cause I care. Your mom too." Butters took a step forward, only to have Eric take a step back, putting him against the wall. "Eric, it's okay."

"NO! IT WILL NEVER BE OKAY. I SHOULDN'T FEEL THIS WAY!" Eric all but screamed as he tried to keep away from Butters.

"What feelings?" Butters asked, feeling confused.

"Cartman has feelings for you and thinks he's crazy because he has them." Kenny chimed in, a smug smile on his face.

"FUCK YOU, KENNY!"

"Eric, is that true?" Butters tried gently, not wanting to scare his friend away. He was moving slowly, trying to get closer to the brunette with-out having him freak out.

"I, I, um, I-I shouldn't! I do but I shouldn't!" Cartmna then took a seat on his bed, putting his hands in his lap, looking down to them not wanting to see the look on Butters face.

Butters face softened, "It's okay, Eric." He stood as the end of the bed, looking intently at Eric who shifted his gaze from his lap to the blonde that was plaguing his mind and dreams.

"It's not okay! I have to be crazy, for liking a boy, for liking YOU." He turned away, not being able to look at Butters long. He felt the bed dip beside him, he made no move to look at who it was. He knew who it was.

"Why is that?" Butters voice was soft and comforting, making a small smile touch Eric's lips before it dropped as fast as it came.

"Just is." Cartman said before adding more softly. "Because I know you won't feel the same." He hoped that Butters didn't hear him, but apart of him wishes that he did.

"I do."

Eric turned to look at Butters, his eyes wide his jaw slightly slack. "Huh?"

Butters placed a hand on Eric's cheek, he smiled softly at the brunette. "I do, like you too that is." Just to make sure that his point was gotten, he leaned in and gently put his lips on Eric's in a sweet chaste kiss. Stunned for a moment, Eric kissed Butters back when he came back to his senses, putting his hand over the one Butters had on his cheek. Eric put his other hand Butters knee as he leaned in to deepen the kiss.

Butters other hand made it's way to his soft brown hair, messing it up in the best way. They made out for what seemed like a life time, both teens just lost in their own world of pure bliss. The only reason they broke their bliss filled state was due to the clearing of a throat. Pulling apart, both Butters and Eric were flushed from both what they were doing and the knowing smirk on Kenny's face as he leaned on a near by wall. "So, Cartman you going to check yourself out of here, go home to your mom, who, by the way is worried sick and start dating dating Butters? Or are you going to stay here?" Kenny asked, he had a good feeling on what the other was going to pick, but it was Cartman, you just never know.

Cartman looked to Butters, "Will you go out with me?"

Butters smiled so big it hurt his face. "Of course! Now, let's get you out of here. It's almost six and I don't want to get grounded." Eric rolled his eyes, of course Butters would be thinking about not wanting to get grounded. He signed himself out and walked home, hand-in-hand with Butters, Kenny trailing behind them before turning off to go to his own home.

"I honestly thought I was crazy for liking you." Eric said when they reached Butters house, ten minutes before six. Butters smiled at Eric, he placed a kiss on the others lips.

"Then, I guess that makes two of us."


End file.
